


time keeps dragging on

by Buggsy045



Category: Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types, Rockman | Mega Man Classic
Genre: PTSD, Sad, mild gore? i guess?, quick just let your bros help you you stubborn bull
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:47:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24357541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buggsy045/pseuds/Buggsy045
Summary: Quick Man has trouble sitting still. His brothers are concerned.Updates will happen in short bursts.Semi-inspired by the song "The Ballad of Barry Allen" by Jim's Big Ego.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	1. quick runs around in the middle of the night

Quick Man laid sprawled out on his bed, staring at the ceiling. "2:43 AM," his internal clock told him. He sighed heavily, sitting up abruptly. He hopped out of bed and padded over to the window as quietly as his boots would allow. "I'll only be gone for a moment."

He opened the window, cold night air blowing onto his face. He stood for a second, only a second, then crawled out of the window and onto the soft grass outside. He set off at a jog, then a run, then a sprint. It didn't matter where he was going. He just wanted to go somewhere. As he cut through the dark of the night, cold air surrounding him as he ran, he felt exhilarated. He kept going, thoughts racing alongside him.

He had been sneaking out almost every night lately, sometimes more than once a night. Sleeping was just so boring for him. How can he be expected to stay still for so long? There's nothing to do. His brothers have told him that he should take the time to slow down and think, but that's just stupid. He can think when he runs - if anything, he can think more easily that way. It's not like they understand anyway, especially not Flash. How can that dope be happy with stopping time completely? It goes by so slow anyway, so what's the point?  
Quick Man shook his head, glancing at his surroundings. Everything whizzed by, a blur of colors on all sides, but he had done this enough to know that he had run at least a couple miles. He didn't stop, rather, he made a wide turn and began heading back to the lab.

As the outline of the building came into view, he slowed to a stop in front of his window, wriggling back inside - he would have made a running leap, but he didn't want to risk making lots of noise or breaking anything. His brothers would get angry at him, and besides, trying to explain things is such a drag anyway.

He slid the window closed and walked back to his bed, a noticeable pain in his upper left leg. Eh, it's probably fine, just a little strain. It would be gone by the morning. He laid on his back, squeezing his eyes shut and waiting for sleep to hit.


	2. quick man has a short talk

The light of dawn filtered through into Quick Man's room, stirring him from sleep. He was up in an instant, ready to get going. He scratched at his neck, fiddling with his helmet a little as he made his way to the kitchen.

Seeing Air Man hanging out there wasn't anything new, but Bubble Man was a bit of a surprise. Air Man was lurking by the window as per usual, eyes trained on the sky, while Bubble Man was perched on the table. "Morning, sunshines," Quick said, giving Bubble a little pat on the shoulder as he made his way to the refrigerator. Air grunted in response, while Bubble said a small "good morning" in return.

As Quick got an E-tank out of the fridge and opened it up, Bubble piped up. "Uhhm, hey Quick. Can I talk to you, please?" Quick blinked, then sighed before taking a sip from the E-tank and obliging.

"Yeah? What's up, little guy?"

"Um, I'd rather talk about this... one-on-one." Bubble muttered, eyes flicking over to Air for a moment before returning his gaze to the floor. Quick was surprised by this - Bubble Man was much more confident when he had a few of his brothers around, and didn't do all too well when it was just him and someone else. Nevertheless, Quick shrugged, helped him down from the table, and went to speak in the living room instead.

The room was empty since no one else was up yet, allowing the two to speak privately. Quick flopped onto the couch. "So? What is it?"

Bubble was blantantly nervous, and was quiet for a few seconds before finally saying something. "Quick, I... I know you're sneaking out."

Quick blinked.

"...So?"

"Y-you really shouldn't do that! You should be asleep! What if you get in trouble or something, or you get hurt? Plus, everyone will get really angry with you, and--"

"But they haven't found out, right? And I'll make sure they won't. I'm careful! You only found out because..." Quick tapped his foot, getting agitated.

"Quick Man, please just listen to me--"

"I've listened to you enough! You talk too slow anyway," Quick snapped, getting up and chugging down the rest of the E-tank before tossing it on the floor. He walked briskly to the door reached for the doorknob--

"Quick Man?"

He turned; Flash Man stood in the hallway with a stern look on his face. Quick tapped his finger on the doorknob as he let out a short "Just going for a morning run," before he opened the door and bolted.

Flash Man sighed, going over to close the door behind his brother, picking up the discarded E-tank on the way. He looked at Bubble. "Is he alright?" Bubble Man wriggled uncomfortably in place.

"Well..."


	3. quick man does an oops

Quick Man ran straight ahead. What did it matter that Bubble knew he was sneaking out? It's not like he'll ever tell anyone; he doesn't have the guts. He leaned forward, increasing his speed. He grunted as the pain in his leg from before returned. "It's just strain. Doesn't matter."

The calm, early-morning atmosphere of the surrounding countryside did nothing to ease him. He grunted, forcing himself to go even faster. Running always eased his mind, so if he continued to do it, he'd cool down eventually.

The pain was spreading all up and down his left leg now. He'd be fine though; he'll be fine in a matter of seconds. Then he'll turn around and go back to the lab. It won't take long. Heck, he might even walk--

Quick's foot rolled.

Before he knew it, he was flying through the air, much too fast for his taste. He hit the ground hard once, twice, three times, before falling one last time, right on the joint between his leg and pelvis. He skidded face-down along the ground for a few feet before coming to a halt, and it all registered.

Pain seared through his legs and stomach, his left leg had been knocked loose and was mostly numb. He groaned, lifted his scratched face from the dirt and trying to survey the damage. He could hardly move.

His breathing became ragged as he rested his head back on the ground, turned so that he wasn't face-down in the dirt. He had become acutely aware of the pain, of his mechanisms running, of electricity being directed to his dead leg and fizzling out. No. No. He bit down hard on his lip, squeezing his eyes shut. Maybe he should have listened. What kind of jerk doesn't even listen to his own brothers when they're just trying to help?

He exhaled shakily, refraining from letting himself sob. He could feel his systems shutting down - he had run himself to exhaustion. No. No. Not again.

He heard a faint yelling from somewhere, and then his eyes closed.


	4. quick man has a longer talk this time

Quick Man woke up on a repair table, the bright lights of the lab making him squint at first. Once it all settled in, he huffed. Now he'd have to get a lecture from his brothers about "safety" and "slowing down" and "we're only trying to help". Ugh. He'd heard it all before.

The door to the lab opened and Quick's brothers filed in. He looked straight at the ceiling, refusing to look at any of them.

"Quick?" Flash's voice.

"What."

"Well, first of all, I want to know if you feel alright."

Quick scoffed. "I'm numb from the chest down. It's not like it matters if it hurts when I move, since you've got me strapped to a table." He looked Flash right in the eye. "I can't run away anymore. Happy?"

Flash sighed, opening his mouth to speak before Metal beat him to it. "Why have you been sneaking out at night?"

Quick sighed, then let out a single bitter laugh. So Bubble did have the guts to rat him out. "I'm restless. Can't sleep unless I'm tired, and I don't get tired easily. Besides, you know I run all the time."

His brothers exchanged glances. They knew him well enough to know that he ran either when he was bored or stressed. The latter was more likely because he had been put almost all day for the past few days, sometimes taking just a couple steps back inside before turning around and running again. He did have problems with sitting still for long periods of time, but he'd never been this anxious.

"Wily figured out that your joints are wearing out because you've been running so much. That's probably the reason why your leg gave out when you hit the ground back there," Flash said, leaning over the table. "You need to learn to slow down. You're only going to hurt yourself more."

"Running's the only thing that's fun anymore. It's one of the only things that lets me move at a pace I like." He shifted around as much as he could to get more comfortable. "Everything else is too slow."

"Quick Man, please. Why is running your only outlet?" Wood Man asked.

Quick turned his head, averting his eyes. "...I hate this, you know that?"

"You hate what, huh?" Crash Man barked. "What is it then? Why do you run away from us so much? Is it us? Do you hate us, is that it?!"

"No! No, of course not!" Quick yelped. "I'd never hate you guys."

"Then why do you run so much? Did something happen?"

"No, it's not that." Quick was getting antsy now.

"Did someone do something to you?"

"No, it's--"

"Quick, you can always--"

"It's because it reminds me of when I died, okay?!"

Everyone was silent.

"It reminds me of when I got beaten so hard by a little kid that I was paralyzed from the waist down. Humanity's favorite savior took what he wanted from me and left me to die." Quick Man closed his eyes. "I laid there for about 30 minutes, but it felt like days. Time seems so slow to me anyway, so can you imagine what that's like? I hate being cornered and I hate being immobile. Part of the reason why I hate this damn table."

No one spoke for a while. "Wily's going to have to fix your legs. I'll ask him to have you shut down until you heal completely so that you don't have to wait," Flash finally said. He turned and walked away, the rest of the 2nd liners following him to the door. "We'll talk about this later."


End file.
